Alentejo Coast (S-N) – Itinerary

Sunday – Arrival

Arrival in Lisbon and transfer at 5:30pm. We take the direction of the Cercal Mountains, approximately 200 km to the south. You will stay overnight at Casas Verdemar, a rural, renovated farmhouse. Here you can relax, and enjoy dinner and your first night in Portugal.

You will stay for four nights at Casas Verdemar, a beautifully renovated tavern with individual rooms and cottages around the gardens. There is a pool, fruit trees and plenty of places to relax and enjoy the countryside. Take your meals either on the veranda or inside in the dining room. Your hosts are Christine Nijhoff, a specialist in antiques restoration and Nuno Vilas Boas Lebreiro, artist and cook. Dinner and overnight at Casas Verdemar.

Monday – Meet your horse

Today for your first day’s ride you explore the mountains of Cercal. You will ride to the chapel of Nossa Senhora das Neves from where you have a splendid view of the area you have been riding through in the morning. For lunch, a delicious picnic will be prepared with grilled meats or fish with salad accompanied by fresh bread and local wine. After lunch, return to Verdemar.
Dinner and overnight at Casas Verdemar.

Tuesday – Ride to the dam

Today after breakfast you set off into the mountains of Cercal, close to the dam of Campilhas where you have lunch. The scenery is varied and interesting and after some trots and canters you return to Verdemar. Relax and enjoy the quiet of a typical ‘monte alentejano’ after a dip in the pool.
Dinner and overnight at Casas Verdemar.

Wednesday – Visiting Vila Nova de Milfontes

Today we ride through the mountains of Cercal. We will have our usual picnic close to the hotel. The afternoon is free to visit Vila Nova de Milfontes, a fishing village close to the sea, with a very nice beach and spectacular views of the ocean. This is a great destination if you like to swim in the open ocean.
Overnight and dinner at Verdemar.

Thursday – Canter through forests

Today we ride inland enjoying many canters through eucalyptus and pine forests. After lunch in a shady place in the woods, we continue towards Quinta da Ortiga where you leave your horses before a short transfer of 30 min to Quinta de Malmedra, a modern, luxury rural hotel in the vicinity of Santiago do Cacém where you will have dinner and overnight.

Friday – Towards the ocean

Today we ride in the direction of the ocean and reach Hotel Vila Park. After lunch we pass through rice fields we continue in the direction of Melides, an area of great peace and tranquillity. The beach is about 3km away so if you have enough energy left from the day’s ride, you can enjoy a nice swim before dinner. We will stay in Hotel Vila Park, a nice country hotel. Dinner in a local restaurant.

Saturday – Beach ride

Today you ride to the beach. Between June 1st and September 15th, this ride is at dawn to avoid the holiday makers on the beach. It’s a beautiful ride at first light as the sun rises over the dunes. There is the possibility of a beach canter before reaching a lovely picnic spot in the pine forest where your horses rest while you may swim in the sea and after lunch. After lunch you ride through the dunes, returning to Hotel Vila Park. Farewell dinner and overnight in Hotel Vila Park.

I've just had an amazing riding holiday in Portugal, lovely horses which are really cared for, great hosts, accommodation and fantastic outriding along with cantering on the beach. What a week. Thankyouread more

i recommend absolutely everything as it is 5 star all the way. You will not go wrong. Migel is simply the best in every way. I would choose to ride with him every chance i got. He is a true professional.
Dennis is also a GEM. Great cook and a huge help in every way. Not a bad card player either.
Raides Vicentinos is very fortunate to have them as employees.read more

This holiday is amazing! We had torrential rain, hail, wind and even thunder but that didn’t matter it’s such a good trip. The hotels are beautiful, scenery breathtaking and food delicious. The horses are superb .. beautifully cared for and so happy in their work. Everyone is super friendly and you are made to feel very welcome even by the villagers who come out to give you a wave as you pass! I cannot recommend this trip highly enough!read more

Raides Vicentions puts the effort in to make each groups trip an experience full of great memories and wonderful moments. What I like most about them is the effort of care that they give not ONLY the guests, but the horses as well. It can be expensive to give quality care to both and still make it an affordable trip for the traveler. The Horses are very well cared for and seem to love the job that they do. The staff,( from the groom/ stable hand, assistant, guide, the hotels they stay at, and the restaurants where we ate ) all give great service and attempt to accommodate requests. Enjoyed my trip so much, I am going BACK again in a few months.read more